John McCusker/The Times-PicayuneSaints quarterback Drew Brees said he feels the team has put itself in position to win a championship.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has always been the ultimate optimist, and this has always been the best time of the year for guys like him.

He and his teammates will report to training camp in nine days at the team's home practice facility in Metairie.

Brees admitted that all the players are happy to be back home after the past three grueling summers at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss. But he said they're even more thrilled to be back on an even playing field with the rest of the NFL's 31 teams after missing the playoffs the past two years.

"You get in July and you're working out and you get into the best shape of your life, and especially in this stage of my career in particular, it feels like this is our time," said Brees, who turned 30 in January.

"You never know when it's going to be your year, and this could be our year," he said. "You look at the position we're in, it's exciting. It's really exciting. I just think we've made all of the right moves to put ourselves in position to win a championship. There's always going to be setbacks, you expect that, but I think we've got what it takes to fight through them and be successful."

Brees will return to New Orleans this weekend after training primarily in San Diego, which he has done every summer dating back to his days with the Chargers. He has been working out at a facility called Fitness Quest 10 with friend and former teammate LaDainian Tomlinson and NFL quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Jeff Garcia, A.J. Feeley, John Beck and Kevin O'Connell.

Before that, he spent a week working out at his alma mater, Purdue, and even did some P.T. with the U.S. Marine Corps while visiting Guantanamo Bay on his fourth USO Tour.

He took time out Tuesday for a full-day media blitz to promote his involvement with the NFL's Play 60 and Take A Player To School programs. Brees has served as the national spokesman for the past two years for both initiatives, which are focused on increasing the health and wellness of young fans.